Vonie' Stillson

I am a Board Certified Dance Movement Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Aquatic Therapy Rehab Institute Certified Aquatic Rehabilitation Specialist, and Approved Clinical Supervisor. I am a Mississippi native, with a BA in Dance Therapy from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado and a MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Antioch University New England in New Hampshire. I was American Dance Therapy Association’s 2014 Outstanding Achievement award recipient for my work creating the Southern Chapter and was their 1st president. I am currently the vice president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Dance Therapy Association, and the Western Region Member at Large. I am active with the Multicultural Diversity Committee and the Native American, Spirituality and Disability Awareness Affinity Groups. I have presented at mental health conferences on the local, state and national levels, community-based workshops and pop culture conventions. I have 15 years post Master’s experience and 25+ years experience with individuals with Mental Illness/Intellectual Developmental Delays and various physical special needs. I have worked in private practice, outpatient day treatment for adolescents, nursing homes, and locked units at state hospitals. I utilize dance therapy to address a variety of needs from working with anxiety and stress reduction and processing trauma along with ways to increase interpersonal connection. Dance/Movement Therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement to further the emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration of the individual. I also combine the psychotherapeutic benefits of dance therapy with the physical therapy aspects of aquatic rehabilitative therapy. I work with families, individuals and groups of all ages combining a variety of therapeutic techniques to meet the specific needs of her clients. In addition to my work with aquatic and traditional dance therapy my eclectic approach also includes Dialectical Behavioral Therapy & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from a person centered perspective. As a lifelong comic book reader and sci-fi fan, I advocate for geek culture as positive for mental health and draw from this experience to help clients on their journey. I feel therapy is not about fitting the client into my mold or approach, but rather finding tools to fit the client’s needs.